


#35 Marked

by gpadow



Category: Gunsmoke, Matt and Kitty
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-07
Updated: 2011-12-07
Packaged: 2017-10-27 01:07:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/289897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gpadow/pseuds/gpadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kitty fights for her life</p>
            </blockquote>





	#35 Marked

**Author's Note:**

> This story respectfully features characters and canon from the television series, Gunsmoke, which went on the air in 1955. They do not belong to me.

GS #35 - Marked

12/07/11

 

Jubal English stood in the doorway, a menacing presence. His teeth were clenched and his eyes burned fury.

“You bring shame to your family! Taking up with a harlot! You lead your sister astray, down a path of degeneracy!”

“No papa, please!” Tess English pleaded. “Faith is a good girl. She hasn‘t done anything wrong.”

“Your sister followed you to that evil place. You brought her under the spell of that witch to be corrupted by the sins of the flesh.”

Tess felt his vice-like grip on her shoulder and could smell his stale breath as it burned her cheek. She closed her eyes and waited for the blow.

 

###

 

“Miss Kitty?” came the faint, child-like voice.

Kitty Russell looked up from her newspaper and started a smile that got half way done when she replied kindly but seriously, “Hello, Faith. Is something wrong?”

“Have you seen Tess?”

“She was due back yesterday, wasn’t she?”

“Yes, ma’am. But,” the girl put her head down and nervously continued, “She wasn’t on the stage. Today, neither. I waited, and when Tess didn’t come I checked for a telegram. I just thought maybe you heard ‘cause she’s supposed to go back to work tonight.”

The savvy saloon owner took the girl’s hand and led her to a chair. “How about some fresh coffee?”

“No thank you. It makes me kinda queezy.”

“You’ve been feeling ‘kinda queezy’ a lot lately, haven’t you, honey?”

“I guess.”

“I think you should let Doc have a look at you. It is what Tess would want you to do.”

“Doctor Adams? I don’t know..”

“You can trust him. No one will know. And if you want me to go with you, I will.”

Suddenly the girl threw her arms around Kitty’s neck and sobbed, “Oh Miss Kitty, I’m so scared. I just don’t know what to do.”

The redhead patted Faith’s shoulder and tried to comfort the girl. How many of her girls had she seen through this? But this one is different; she works in a dress shop and is naïve about the kind of life her sister and the other girls lead.

Kitty wished Tess had been on that stage.

 

###

 

Emmanuel English looked down at his bruised sister as she sat on the floor with her knees drawn up and her arms pulled tightly around her blood-stained nightgown.

“You know why I’m here, Tess.”

She could hear the scissors open and close.

“Please, Manny, I don’t know anything about Faith’s diary.”

“Don’t lie. She must have taken it with her. It isn’t here.”

“Faith never let me read her diaries even when we were children.”

“Diaries? How many? Tell me!”

“I can’t!”

Tess tried to cover her head with her arms but her brother was too strong. He grabbed her hair and forced her head back so she was looking at the scissors, terrified. With all the courage the battered girl could muster, she firmly set her jaw and closed her eyes.

The scar over his eye and down his cheek seemed to give out a white glow as he snarled, “Like the scarlet letter, this will mark you for the fallen woman that you are.”

Tess could feel the pull on her scalp and hear the sound of the blades cutting through her long, chestnut hair.

 

###

 

Kitty Russell stood at the window of her room overlooking Front Street.  
Suddenly, Matt Dillon was behind her, like a soft-glowing moon over her shoulder.

“Cold, Miss Kitty? Maybe we should cuddle under that fancy new quilt and keep each other warm.”

Matt’s arms were around her waist. They rocked back and forth as if they were listening to the same, seductive music.

“So, does that mean you still love me, Marshal?”

“I loved you before I knew what love was..”

Without another word, the couple moved toward the brass bed. Matt lifted the nightgown over Kitty’s head and folded it over the footboard. She slipped into bed sitting up against the pillows, and began letting down her long, red hair. When Matt had peeled off his clothes he slipped in beside her and reached around to take the hairbrush from her hand. It was something they shared so many times that it was as comforting as it was seductive.

Finally, the big lawman placed the brush on the table, moved Kitty’s hair over one shoulder and began kissing her silky-soft skin.

“I dream of your shoulders,” he murmured as they glided under the quilt and folded themselves around each other.

 

###

 

“Tess has a sister?” the marshal asked between sips of very hot coffee.

Sam brought a plate of bread and cheese to their table.

“Thank you, Sam. Yes, her name is Faith and she helps over at the new dress shop. Just a kid. I’m sure you’ve seen her, Matt.”

The big man just shrugged and said, “I guess.”  
“Why are you taking her in, Kitty?”

“She’s been left on my doorstep. Tess went out of town to attend Pam’s wedding, and hasn’t come back.”

“Does that sound like something she would do?”

“No. In fact, I sent a wire to Pam asking if Tess left for Dodge after the wedding.”

“Didn’t that other girl go to Garden City for the big do? Sally, Sara..”

“Susan.  
Yes, she and Tess went together, but Susan was planning to stay and Tess was coming back. Now I’m short three girls.”

“Well, I better get my prisoner ready. I’ll be back in a few days, Kitty.”

The lawman lightly squeezed his lady’s shoulder and they shared a moment of looking into each other’s eyes before he turned to walk out of the Long Branch Saloon.

 

###

 

Doctor Galen Adams had seen many young women like Faith English. The frontier was in so many ways a man’s world.

“Now, young lady, I want you to get plenty of rest and take two of these every morning. It will help keep your strength up, but you must eat well, too.”

Faith kept her head down but took the pills and sadly said,  
“Thank you.”

Doc pulled on his ear and looked at Kitty as he swiped his mustache. “Any word from her sister?”

“She seems to have run off, Curly. Pam sent a wire that Tess never made it to the wedding. She left Susan to go on alone after meeting up with someone at the relay station.”

Even though the two friends spoke softly, Faith overheard. She hopped off of the exam table and declared, “My sister didn’t run away from me. She wouldn’t do that.”

“Did Tess know you may be pregnant when she left?”

“No, Miss Kitty. I wasn’t sure myself until I came to you.”

Doc placed his arm around her shoulder and said, “You can’t wait for Tess to come back, honey. You don’t even know where she is. I want you to promise me - and Miss Kitty - that you will make your decision very soon. Talk to the young man if you can, but do it soon. There can be some risks if you wait too long.”

 

###

 

The whiskey drummer was writing furiously in his order book as the owner of the Long Branch Saloon walked around her office, hand on hip. Kitty always found it amusing that the man whistled when he spoke.

“Oh, and don’t forget the extra corks and corkscrews, Charlie. Not those cheap, direct pull samples, either. I want three new Henshall’s - with brushes.”

“Sure thing, Miss Kitty. You know I’ll take good care of you.”

Charlie held the door open and they entered the saloon. He tipped his bowler and whistled, “Til next time, then.”

Kitty motioned to Sam to bring her a drink. “Has the new girl been in, Sam?”

The loyal bartender moved away from the stranger at the bar to bring his boss lady a whiskey.

“Girl is not how I’d describe Miss Mable. She went to The Poppy to get settled in. Do you want me to send for her, Miss Kitty?”

“No, we’ll let her rest up. At least this is one I won’t have to adopt.”

“That reminds me, Miss Kitty, Doc just went up to check on Faith..”

“Kitty! Can you come up here please?” Doc’s voice rang out from the landing.

The redhead put down her drink, lifted the hem of her skirt, and ran up the stairs.

From the bar, the man with the scar over his eye and cheek was watching her intently.

As soon as Kitty entered the tiny bedroom she knew something was terribly wrong. Then she saw the blood. “Oh, Doc.”

“She miscarried, Kitty. I’m afraid she has lost a lot of blood and may have an infection.”

“Miss Kitty?” Faith’s weak voice was the saddest sound Kitty ever heard.

Doc moved to the other side of the bed and gently stroked the young woman’s forehead while Kitty sat next her on the bloody sheet and held her hand.

“The diary.”

“Shh. Don’t try to talk, Faith. Save your strength.”

“The diary. Promise you’ll give it to Tess. Promise,” Faith pleaded.

“I promise, honey. Where is it?”

Suddenly Faith took in a deep breath and then sighed a rattle sound as Kitty felt her hand go limp.

Doc lifted and then closed her eyelids, looked at Kitty, and whispered, “She’s gone.”

 

A few minutes later, Kitty came downstairs. Sam noticed the blood on her clothes and knew from her expression what must have happened.

“You need me to go for Percy Crump, Miss Kitty?”

“Yes. Ask him to meet Doc upstairs and take care of Faith’s body. I’ll cover the expenses.”

Sam removed his apron and left through the batwing doors as Kitty went behind the bar. She had only one customer and refilled his glass.

“On the house, Mister.”

A few girls were drinking with some poker-playing cowboys and Freddie had come in carrying his piano rolls.

“So, life goes on,” Kitty said to herself.

 

###

 

“Looks like you had a pretty good night, Mable. Do you think things will work out for you here?”

“Oh Kitty, you’ll have to throw me out of the Long Branch! I’ll be back for sure.”

The buxom Mable wrapped her arm through Sam’s and said, “Walk me home, big fella.”

“Well, ah, I, ah, need to clean up and, uh..”

“That’s okay, Sam. Louie will be in tomorrow morning to help out. G’night you two,” Kitty said as she pushed them through the door.

Kitty enjoyed having a reason to smile, but she knew she owed Sam and would have to make it up to him.

The tired businesswoman muttered to herself that she would do the books tomorrow. Matt was due back in the morning, but she had hoped he might return that night. “I could sure use some holdin’ Cowboy,” she sighed as she pulled herself up the stairs.

As Kitty walked toward the curtain at the end of the hall, she stopped at the door of the bedroom where sweet young Faith English died. She opened the door and frowned. Even with only the light from the landing she could see the room had not been cleaned as promised. In fact, while the bed linen did look fresh, the room was rifled through and drawers and wardrobe were left open. Kitty gave the door a slam and marched to her rooms.

The redhead stepped into the room and turned up the oil lamp. She kicked off her shoes sending them flying across the floor.  
Rubbing her lower back, Kitty walked to her vanity table and turned up the light. From out of the darkness a figure appeared in the beveled mirror causing Kitty to spin around.

“How did you get in here?” Kitty demanded. She recognized the man as the quiet stranger with the scar.

“You have the blood of a young girl on your hands, harlot!

Kitty made a run for the door only to be grabbed by the shoulders and spun around. Emmanuel English made a fist and hit her hard in the jaw, sending her to the floor, but not before the back of her head struck the heavy oak table. Then, blackness.

Kitty Russell could feel her head pounding as she tried to blink her eyes against the blurry shadows.

A rough hand grabbed her and pulled her to her feet.

Kitty was aware that her clothes were torn and her hair was down. Through the fogginess she could hear a strange sound like two pieces of metal striking in a rhythmic motion.

“Where are the diaries, Whore?”

“What?”

English could see the confusion on her face, but he was losing patience.

“The diary. With Tess gone Faith would have told you where she kept it or if there were others. Tell me!”

“I don’t know anything about that. Faith died and Tess hasn’t been ..”

Kitty looked into the hideous face of Emmanuel English and said, “What have you done to Tess?”

“The same thing I will do to you. Like the scarlet letter, I will mark you for the fallen woman you are. That is what I told Tess and she learned her wanton ways from you.”

The man was surprised when Kitty struck out at him, connecting a hard punch to his nose. With blood streaming over his mouth and chin he ran after her as she flung the door open and raced toward the staircase.

Grabbing hold of her hair, English pulled Kitty’s head back and kicked the back of her knees causing the volatile redhead to fall backward. The furious man dragged her back into the room.

Still not giving up the fight, Kitty saw the glint of metal where the scissors fell to the floor, grabbed them, and stabbed the man’s thigh.

A horrific scream shattered the night. Then his fists pounded her with blow after blow until Kitty lost consciousness.

 

###

 

US Marshal Matt Dillon dismounted in front of the stable and was relieved when a sleepy Hank opened the door and took the reins from him.

“You look tired, Marshal. Old Buck does, too.”

“We both are, Hank. Take good care of him.”  
“How have things been?”

“Pretty quiet. Oh, but that little gal who works at the dress shop died. Happened in the Long Branch. I think her sister works for Miss Kitty.”

“That’s a sad thing, Hank. It’s late, but I think I’ll stop by there.”

“Good night, Marshal,” Hank said as he led the big buckskin into the stables.

 

Matt took the back stairs and was walking down the hall when he noticed the open door. He placed his hand on his gun and slowly approached. Then the lawman noticed the blood on the carpet and drew his gun. His heart began to race as he knew Kitty had to be in serious trouble.

“Oh.. “ A cough, followed by a moan.

Matt saw her on the floor at the foot of the bed. The room had been trashed. Her clothes were mostly ripped off. He ran to her softly calling, “Kitty!”

The beaten woman felt his familiar arms around her and began to cry. “Matt..”

“Oh, Kitty..” he tried to sound soothing but wanted to cry. She felt so fragile in his arms.

As Matt lifted Kitty’s face toward his, she turned away, putting her arm and hand between them.

“Don’t look at me,” she sobbed.

Matt said, “It’s me, Kitty. It’s all right. Don’t cry, honey.”

Kitty turned her face into his chest and repeated, “Don’t look at me, don’t look at me.”

Matt wrapped his arms around her and rocked back and forth. Tears began to form as he imagined what must have happened to the woman he loved so dearly. He bent his elbow in order to hold her head and realized her hair felt matted under his fingers.

Then he saw the lengths of red hair on the floor.

 

###

 

Matt was pacing back and forth when Doc finally entered from the other room.

“Doc?”

“She’ll be okay, Matt. I gave her something to help her sleep so you should see her now.”

"It's my fault, Doc. If I just came back sooner.."

"Don't beat yourself up, Matt. Kitty needs you now, son."

Matt walked into the room and over to the bed. The quilt was pulled up to Kitty’s chin giving her a child-like look. Her face had swollen bruises and there was a cut over her eye.

“Who did this?”

“I don’t know his name but Sam may remember serving him.”

“Can you describe him, Kitty?”

“He is tall with dark hair and has a scar that runs down the right side of his face, over the eye and all the way down his cheek.”

“That’s good.”

“There’s more.

He probably has a broken nose. And a stab wound in his right thigh.”

“You?”

Kitty nodded and yawned.

Doc couldn’t help grinning as he rubbed his hand over his mustache.

“It looks like he was trying to find something.”

Kitty yawned again.

“Faith’s dairy. I think he grabbed Tess off that stage, too.”

“He said he was marking us.”

“Marking?”

“By cutting off our hair. Marking us..” Kitty pulled the quilt over her head and began to sob.

“I tried to fight him off, Matt. I tried but he was too strong.”

“Oh, Kitty.”

Matt leaned over her and tried to gently tug at the quilt so he could kiss her forehead, but she pulled it back up.

“Please don’t look at me.”

Hearing that broke his heart.

“I’m not going anywhere so you better get used to it, girl.”

Finally, she turned to him and reached out her arms to wrap them around his neck.

 

###

 

Sam and the Long Branch girls stood at the bar listening to Doc relay what had happened to Kitty. Some of the girls were sniffing and wiping away tears. Sam clenched his fists.

“Festus already has a search party looking for this bastard, and with the description we have he will be easy to spot. Matt found out a man meeting his description checked out of the Dodge House. He was registered as Emmanuel English.”

“Is he related to Tess and Faith English, Doc?” Sam asked.

“Very possible. He was also interested in a journal or diary that Faith kept. Maybe there are family secrets.”

“Doc?”

“Yes, Gert.”

“Was Miss Kitty.. I mean..”

“Yes.

She will need all of you to help her through this.”

“I’d like to get my hands on the son of a bitch,” Mable said.

 

###

 

Gert tip-toed into Kitty’s room carrying a large basin of hot water and a towel over her shoulder.

She stopped at the door of the bedroom and smiled.

Matt was sleeping next to his lady. They were on their left sides, with their knees pulled up. His right arm was protectively around her and each were lightly snoring in a harmonious rhythm.

The saloon girl placed the water on the table and left the room. The new hairstyle can wait.

 

###

 

“It’s been four days, Kitty. You have to go downstairs sometime.”

“You’re a man, Matt. You don’t understand. I just can’t be seen like this.”

The big man grinned and petted the top of her head. Kitty’s short hair was now evenly cut and combed forward. It gave her a gamin look that he found adorable. He couldn’t keep his hands off her.

“Stop that, Cowboy.”

Kitty shrugged his hand away unconvincingly and Matt knew she was shyly enjoying this new attention he displayed.

She looked up at him and pouted, “I wish you would stop staring at me.”

“I can’t help it. Your eyes look so big and beautiful and, well, you are just so cute.”

“Cute! I’m too old to be cute.”

Matt burst out laughing and gave her a hug, sneaking a pat on her head.

“Just stop that.”

“Come on honey, I promised everyone you would be there.”

“Oh, Matt, they aren’t making a fuss are they. I hate that. It’s bad enough I look so.. so..”

“Cute.”

She gave him a slap on the arm and giggled. “Okay then, let’s get this over with.”

As Matt and Kitty came down the stairs arm in arm, Kitty kept her head down. Then Matt suddenly stopped a few steps from the bottom and she looked up.

“Welcome back, Miss Kitty,” Sam grinned.

“Thanks, Sam.”

“We missed you,” Gert said.

Kitty looked at the saloon girl to reply and noticed she had her hair cut very, very short.

“It’s not the same without you to keep these drunks in line,” Mable said.

Everyone laughed and Kitty joined in. Then she noticed Mable, too, had a very short haircut.

Slowly the redhead surveyed the saloon and realized every one of the girls had cut their hair.

Tears welled up in her big blue eyes. Kitty cleared her throat and shouted, “Drinks on the house, Sam!”

The piano began a lively tune and the Long Branch became the place Kitty loved. She was home.

Matt led her to their favorite table at the back where Doc and Festus were waiting with a bottle of her best whiskey and four glasses.

The two men stood and Matt pulled out a chair for Kitty.  
As he sat down, Matt gently ran his hand over the back of her head.

Kitty shot him a look and he grinned, “I can’t help it.”

 

###

 

Jubal English watched the activity in the saloon while fingering the pocket that held his well-worn Bible. The Long Branch Saloon was even worse than Manny described. He had come home with an infection that had to have come from an evil spirit within this place.

“Heathens, infidels. You corrupted my daughters and murdered my son. I will see you burn and send you to Hell.”

 

###

 

Vera Evans was fitting Ma Smalley for a new frock.

“Don’t you want to try another style, Ma?”

“No, I don’t. You ask me every time, Vera.”

“Well, since I opened my own shop I was hoping to make some changes my customers would enjoy.”

“You do excellent work, dear, but I am set in my ways.”

To change the subject, Ma added, “It was so sad about your helper. Did you ever learn what happened?”

“Faith had been ill, poor thing, and went to find her sister at the Long Branch. Neither Doc nor Miss Kitty will say anything about it.”

“That’s very strange.”

“Yes. And then, right after that an intruder almost murdered Miss Kitty right there in her rooms!”

“She has certainly had to deal with a lot because of the Marshal. It just doesn’t seem fair,” Ma said.

“Do you think it was an outlaw out to hurt Marshal Dillon by hurting Miss Kitty?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time. She certainly is brave,” Ma sighed.

“Well, all done, Ma. I’ll have it finished by the end of the week.”

“No rush, Vera.”

Ma stepped down and noticed a large box by the door.

Vera saw her curiosity and explained, “Those things belonged to Faith. She liked to practice on bits of fabric and the rest are a few books, journals and pictures.”

“Are you throwing them out?”

“Yes, I was going to hold them in case her sister returned, but that doesn’t seem likely. Louie Pheeters will be here to take them to the fire pit.”

 

###

 

Matt Dillon sat at the big oak table opening telegrams and letters.

“Any word about the scar face, Matt?”

“There is something about a church run by a Jubal English. He and his family were sent packing from a few towns in the Wyoming territory and his son‘s name is Emmanuel.”

“That’s him! What did they do?”

“Child abuse.”

“That’s horrible!”

“They kept setting up schools and orphanages. No one knows where they are now.”

“No wonder Tess and Faith ran off.”

Kitty came over to Matt and leaned across his shoulder, placing a kiss over his ear.

“Good night, Cowboy.”

“ ‘Night, Kitty. I won’t be long.”

The big man was still aware that his lady was recovering from her terrible ordeal. She had been hurt and needed time to heal, so he was being very gentle and patient.

They had not talked about it, but Kitty suffered a few nightmares.

Matt comforted her and tried to suppress the rage he felt.

They had not made love, but he tenderly kissed and caressed her, and held her close so she would feel safe.

A few hours later, Matt and Kitty were asleep in each other’s arms. Suddenly, Kitty bolted to a sitting position.

“Bad dream, Kit?” Matt asked through a sleepy haze.

“Smoke.

Matt, the Long Branch is on fire!”

They both jumped out of bed and into some clothes, and then ran onto the landing to find the saloon engulfed in smoke and flames.

From somewhere below a voice was shouting “Burn! Burn!”

Matt grabbed Kitty’s hand and pulled her down the back stairs into the alley. “Fire!” they shouted. Each ran in an opposite direction down Front Street banging on doors and yelling “Fire!”

A bucket brigade formed and Dodge citizens became focused on containing and putting out the fire.

Doc came down his stairs to stand with his arm around Kitty.

Festus and Newly ran by, quickly followed by Burke and Louie.

Sam called out, “Miss Kitty!”

“We’re okay, Sam, but I don’t know if we can save the Long Branch,” Kitty said with a catch in her voice.

 

###

 

Several men began pulling burned pieces of lumber and furniture from the bar while Matt examined the building for structural damage.

Kitty and Doc arrived at the Long Branch with coffee and sandwiches from Delmonico’s.

Sam came from the back office and announced, “It isn’t bad, Miss Kitty. The fire didn’t get back to the kegs where it would have done the most damage. Your office is okay, too, just needs a big cleanup.”

Festus grabbed a sandwich and said, “Your rooms got smoke damage, Miz Kitty, but they's okay. The fire didn’t get up there. The staircase will need fixin' though.

Onliest person to git kilt was that old parson feller. Leastwise I recon he’s a parson.”

Matt came to stand by Kitty. She looked up at him with understanding about the cause of the fire and leaned in to rest her head against his chest.

He ran his hand over her hair and she just smiled and said, “Okay, Cowboy.”

Doc picked his way to where they were standing and said, “Well Matt, it’s a shame you couldn’t save that man.”

 

“I didn’t try, Doc. I didn’t try.”

 

 

The End


End file.
